Pte. Michael Hopkins
(see 26th July) wrote to Lt.Col.
Hugh John Bartholomew, commanding 10th
Battalion (see 6th June) explain
the reason for his failure to return on time from his embarkation leave,
“I am sorry to have to inform you that I am in prison here (Armley Jail, Leeds) and that I cannot
get back to my Regiment. Owing to being drunk, I took some money off a man and
got locked up in Bradford and I have to take my trial at Leeds Assizes in
November … they said they would inquire to you if I could have bail, and if you
said I could they would release me while November Assizes, owing it it being my
first time in prison. So I hoipe sir that you will let me have bail, as it is a
long time is four months to wait trial when you have never been in trouble
before”.
The circumstances were explained further in a letter to Lt.Col.
Bartholomew from the Chief Constable of Bradford,
“I beg to inform you that Pte. Michael Hopkins was before
this court this morning and committed for trial at the next Leeds Assizes, the
date of which has not yet been fixed, but which in all probability will be held
in November, on a charge of assault and robbery from the person. It appears
that the prisoner went into a public house in this City at 8am under the
influence of drink and followed the complainant into the urinal in the yard,
seized hold of him, and extracted from one of his pockets the sum of 18
shillings in money; at the same time he struck the complainant with his fists
and also kicked him whilst on the ground. Prisoner stated that he was drunk at
the time and that he did take some money from the complainant, but did not know
how much.
The Magistrate before whom the case was heard considered
granting bail to the prisoner, but before doing so directed that these facts
should be placed before yourself to ascertain whether you would be prepared to
accept his return to the forces pending his trial. Of course he would not be
allowed to leave the country before trial. I should be glad to have your views
on the matter”.Having received the letters, Capt. Charles Bathurst, Adjutant 10DWR (see 26th July) passed them on to Captain Robert Harwar Gill (see 14th July and below) commanding ‘D’ Company, who noted “As the Battalion will probably have left the country by November, I am of the opinion that no good purpose would be served by allowing this man to serve with it before his trial. Should he so serve it would be possible for him to escape unless kept in custody, and as such he would be useless to us”.
On 31st July Lt.Col. Bartholomew would make his
formal response to the request for bail, “I have to inform you that owing to
the expected early departure of this Battalion it is not desirable that Pte.
Hopkins should re-join. The Officer in charge of Infantry Records, York, will
issue the necessary instructions as to the Battalion Pte. Hopkins is to re-join
on his release from custody”.
Robert Harwar Gill
was thirty-six years old and unmarried when war broke out. He had been working
as a solicitor alongside his father in the family firm, Wallace Gill & Son,
in Knaresborough. However, he also had fifteen years’ military service, as
rehearsed in the Harrogate & Claro Times and Knaresborough Guardian (19th
December 1914):
“Lieut. R. H. Gill, who formerly was in the 2nd West Riding
Regiment, has had considerable military experience abroad, and in various ways
attained to a considerable degree of proficiency. He underwent a special course
of maxim gunnery at Hythe, for which he holds a certificate; he was awarded a
gymnastic and swordsmanship certificate at Poona; musketry certificate at
Pachmarhi. He also passed “distinguished” in tactics, military engineering and
topography at Ranikhet.
He began service in 1893 as a private in the 1st V.H. P.W.O.
West Yorkshire Regiment. From 1893 to 1900 he served in the same regiment as
2nd lieutenant and lieutenant, and commanded cyclists of West Yorkshire
Volunteer Infantry Brigade. He is the author of the “Military Cyclists’ Hand
Book.” In 1900 he went abroad, serving as sergeant in the Volunteer Service
Company and the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment in the South African campaign, for
which he has the Queen’s Medal with four clasps. He did some very useful work
and received a Line Commission in the 2nd West Riding Regiment, dated 5th May
1900. From that year until 1906 he was serving in Burmah and India, and acted
in various capacities. At one time he was Company Commander, then ad Adjutant,
a Quartermaster, Station Staff Officer, while he acted as Cantonment
Magistrate, and also commanded the Station at Dum Dum for about nine months. In
1906 and 1907 Lieut. Gill served with the West African Force (Frontier) in
Sierra Leone and Northern Liberia. He commanded a company in the Kissi
Expedition, and the posts at Kaure, Lehun and Loma. This expedition called for
daring and resource, and Lieut. Gill was mentioned in dispatches. He resigned
his commission in 1908”.
On the outbreak of war Gill, like Gilbert Tunstill, had
committed himself to raising a contingent of volunteers, as reported on 8th
August 1914:
“Mr R. Gill (assistant clerk to the Knaresborough Justices)
who served in the South African Campaign with the West Yorkshires and later
commanded a company with the West African Frontier Force in the Kissi
Expedition, has volunteered to serve in the Legion of Frontiersmen under Col.
Driscoll, D.S.O. (head of the Legion of Frontiersmen) who has a force of 1,000
picked men. Mr Gill is in command of the Claro Unit of the Legion of
Frontiersmen, and will be glad to receive applications from men who wish to
serve. He has already 20 men, and hopes to raise at least 100 men from this
district. Applications are preferable from men who have seen service, or have
been abroad, and who are off all reserves”.
However, Gill was to be disappointed by the response of the
War Office (26th September 1914):
“Lieut. R. H. Gill, Knaresborough, who some time ago
collected a body of men as a sub-unit to the Legion of Frontiersmen, and who
offered the services of himself and men as mounted infantry, has received a
letter from the War Office expressing regret that they cannot accept the offer.
Prior to Lieut. Gill’s offer of men as mounted infantry the authorities had
declined to accept the company as a detached unit. Naturally Lieut. Gill, who
has gone to considerable trouble in keeping his fifty odd men in training, and
in negotiating with the authorities, is very disappointed at the attitude of
the War authorities.
The letter, however, concedes that the men would be accepted
for enlistment into the new (Lord Kitchener’s) army, and would, if
circumstances permitted, be allowed to serve together in the same unit. The
communication suggested that Lieut. Gill should place himself in communication
with the local Recruiting Officer, and endeavour to arrange accordingly. With
regard to himself, he was recommended to apply for a temporary commission
through the Officer Commanding the unit to which his own men would be posted.
Lieut. Gill is negotiating with Major Limber, and with the
Officer Commanding Depot West Riding Regiment, Halifax.
Originally the men collected by Lieut. Gill to form the
Claro sub-unit Legion of Frontiersmen, comprised fifty six N.C.Os and men whose
ages averaged thirty three, and the majority of whom had seen active service.
Some of these have tired of waiting have joined various regiments and detached
themselves from the unit”.
Gill did then act as recommended and his progress was again
reported on 3rd October:
“Lieutenant Robert Harwar Gill (deputy clerk to the
Knaresborough magistrates), who at the commencement of the war collected a body
of fifty six men as a sub-unit to the Legion of Frontiersmen, some time ago
received intimation that the men would not be accepted as a detached unit, and
an offer by Lieut. Gill to serve as Mounted Infantry was also regretfully
declined. In accordance with instructions since received from the War Office,
Lieut. Gill has made arrangements to join the 11th Battalion West Riding
Regiment with his men. The officer commanding the depot recommends him for a
captaincy, and Colonel Trench, commanding the battalion, warmly supports the
recommendation, having had Lieut. Gill under his command in Burmah and India.
The following letter was received by Lieut Gill from the War
Office:- “I am directed to request that you will present yourself at the
nearest military station at your place of residence for medical examination
regarding your fitness for service. In the event of your being found medically
fit, I am to request that you will proceed at once to Pirbright and join the
10th battalion West Riding Regiment for duty. On joining you should send to the
officer commanding the above unit a medical certificate of fitness 20 for duty.
If you are unprovided with outfit you should join with plain clothes and obtain
uniform later.” The letter was addressed to “Captain” R. H. Gill.
The following reply has been sent:- “In accordance with
instructions received in War Office letter, I have been in communication with
the local recruiting officer (O. C. Depot, West Riding Regiment) who has
recommended me for a captaincy in the 11th Battalion, which is commanded by
Colonel Trench, who was my commanding officer in Burmah and India, and who
endorses that recommendation. I have therefore made arrangements for my men and
myself to join that Battalion as soon as they have room for us at the depot. I
passed as medically fit at Halifax on 23rd inst., and forwarded completed
particulars to the adjutant the same evening. In these circumstances I
respectfully ask that we might adhere to the arrangements made, and that I
might be gazetted to the 11th, instead of the 10th Battalion.”
The reply to this letter had not yet been received.
Lieut. Gill will be pleased to receive more men on
application to himself at High Street, Knaresborough. He also wishes to state
that those who have subscribed money to the unit, will have the same refunded
on application to himself. The money was appealed for in the name of
“Frontiersmen” and although the men are frontiersmen they are not going as
such. Of course, the money already subscribed would be exceedingly useful to
the detachment in providing small kit, underclothing and minor additional
comforts. Some of it has already been expended on uniform and travelling
expenses”.
In the event, Gill’s request to join 11DWR was rejected and
he was indeed granted a temporary commission as Captain and joined 10th
Battalion.
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